Scaling the Rockies on the Mt. Norquay Via Ferrata in Banff

Category: Family Jun 09, 2023

Cautiously stepping out on the narrow plank that bounced underneath each step, I tightened my grasp on the thin cables helping me maintain my wastefulness and glanced lanugo past my feet to the valley floor unelevated and wondered yet again, “what was I thinking?” I’m not a thrill-seeker. I don’t dream of scaling mountains.

In fact, I tend to stave risk. But then I hear the voice of my teen daughter urging me on and I remember. This. This is why I well-set to do the Mt. Norquay Via Ferrata in Banff. Considering she loves waddle climbing and venture courses. And I love her.

There is nothing quite like facing and conquering a physical rencontre to uplift your conviction and up your badass quotient. And there is not a teen girl virtually that couldn’t tap into that well of self-confidence and sense of winnings when facing the daily obstacles of upper school. And frankly, most moms of teens could use that too when looking lanugo the whisk of the challenges of parenting.

Challenging ourselves, pushing ourselves vastitude our repletion zones, and doing it together. This is what creates the mother-daughter immuration that I strive to build. Immuration that will last over the test of teenage malaise and the growing pains of adolescence.

I want my daughter to squint at me and not see a “cool mom,” but see a strong mom — a strong woman who is worldly-wise to take on fears and physical challenges and got the job done. My hope is that she will grow into a self-confident, empowered woman who works nonflexible and realizes that the weightier things don’t unchangingly come easy.

Is that too much to expect from a four-hour climbing tour on the Mount Norquay Via Ferrata? Probably, but it is a lifetime of these activities and challenges that have brought us to this point. And so far, she is shaping up to be pretty awesome, and maybe just a little bit badass.

Climbing the Via Ferrata Banff was a true highlight of our Canadian Rockies itinerary. Looking for increasingly things to do in Banff? Don’t worry, not everything is quite as challenging! In fact, driving the Icefields Parkway or taking a horseback ride in Banff is unquestionably a walkover compared to the Banff Via Ferrata!

Tamara and Hannah at the top of the Via Ferrata Mt Norquay

What to Expect from the Mt. Norquay Via Ferrata Banff

Note: We received complimentary ticket to the Via Ferrata from Mount Norquay in mart for this honest review. All opinions are my own.

A Via Ferrata is an assisted mountain climbing experience. Italian for “iron road” or “iron path”, I presume for the iron holds and rungs used to squire your climb, you can find Via Ferrata courses in mountain destinations virtually the world, such as Quebec, Alaska, Switzerland, and, of course, Italy. However they aren’t as ubiquitous as treetop venture courses, so when we saw the opportunity to take a Via Ferrata tour when visiting Banff National Park, we knew we should seize the chance.

Mt. Norquay Ski Resort, one of Banff’s “Big 3” Ski Mountains located just minutes from downtown Banff, offers four variegated Via Ferrata tours in the summer months. There is the 2.5-hour Explorer Route, 4-hour Ridgewalker Route, 5-hour Skyline Route, and 6-hour Summiteer Route. These imbricate variegated terrain and have variegated features or obstacles, so you could hands go when then and then for variegated experiences.

From these Via Ferrata routes, we opted for the 4-hour Ridgewalker Route. Since this is an assisted climbing experience, you need zero mountaineering experience, just some unstipulated athleticism and a good sense of adventure.

Each venture starts at the wiring lodge where you get geared up with helmets, harnesses, carabiners, and any rain pants, footwear, or day packs that you need to borrow. A highly experienced ACMG-Certified guide leads each small group and conducts a short sit-in and safety rundown surpassing everyone boards the chairlift.

Mt Norquay chairlift — On the Mt. Norquay chairlift — do I squint nervous yet?

On the way up, alimony an eye out for the bighorn sheep that love to graze on the slopes and near the historic Cliffhouse Bistro at the top. Once you unload at the top of the chairlift, everyone goes through a short climbing undertow to practice how to prune into the steel cables that are your safety net throughout the climb.

When you reach the end of the cable, you need to unclip one carabiner, keeping three points of contact on the wall at all times, and prune when onto the next section surpassing moving the next carabiner over.

You are responsible for your own safety out there but the dual system and harness will save you from falling all the way off the mountain (although dropping and banging versus the stone wouldn’t be too fun either.) To climb the Via Ferrata, you do need to follow instructions and be prepared for physical exertion.

We joined a four-hour Ridgewalker tour of well-nigh 8-10 people, which started with a short uphill hike from the Cliffhouse to the whence of the course. Without clipping in, our first rencontre was the long suspension underpass made of planks.

Usually, these don’t scarecrow me. I certainly didn’t have any trouble crossing the rope underpass in Northern Ireland, although that had sturdy netting withal the sides. This one threw me for a loop though, as it was bouncier than expected and didn’t have the side netting, I couldn’t help feeling like I was going to topple off.

Via Ferrata plank bridge — Hannah crossing the suspension bridge

Luckily the group didn’t mind too much as I shuffled along, eager to put this overdue me. It turns out that was the most challenging part of the day for me, and only considering of that irrational fear that can sometimes paralyze us. But thankfully Hannah’s encouragement and my desire to not lose squatter in front of my daughter made me push through considering it just got largest from there.

This is when we really started to finger like we were mountain climbing. Shuffling withal narrow ledges. Using iron rungs, like a series of ladders, to pull ourselves up the sheer waddle squatter of the side of the mountain. Balancing on tiny footholds, and looking for crevices in the waddle to hang onto, as a waddle climber, Hannah was in her glory.

Earlier in the trip she told me that she had unchangingly dreamed well-nigh touching a deject and wondered what it would finger like. Would it be fluffy? Something you could unquestionably feel? Soon our heads were literally in the clouds and feeling a wateriness mist on my cheeks I reminded her that she was now touching a cloud, plane if it wasn’t like she had dreamt.

After a short unravel where we gobbled up a quick snack, sipped our water, and shed a few of our layers, we headed up for the final takeoff to the highest point. The last bit on the cables was straight up. There were times when my calves were cramping from balancing on tiny footholds while waiting for the group up superiority to slowly find their way.

Yet the slow pace unliable me to manage in my own way. I can only imagine how quickly Hannah, who has been climbing at indoor gyms for years, would have scurried up that mountain and how I would have lagged overdue otherwise.

There were definitely a few moments when I had to tell myself to just not squint down. Yet there were others when I felt like I was on solid ground and I was worldly-wise to squint virtually and enjoy the spectacular views and outbreathe in the fresh mountain air, chuckling to myself well-nigh how much my husband would veritably freak out if he was asked to do the Via Ferrata.

And I shoehorn I like getting Mom points when I can do something largest than Dad.

View from the top of Via Ferrata Mt Norquay Banff

When we unclipped at the end of the route, we learned that we weren’t quite at our final destination. There was still a short hike up to the very summit of the mountain. The views of Banff, the Rocky Mountains, and the valleys unelevated were veritably amazing. The sun was shining and it was a perfect day. We were tired but felt so proud of our upbringing and felt like it was a unconfined experience.

However, our time at the top was limited as clouds started to roll in and no one was excited well-nigh hiking downhill in the rain so we quickly began our descent. There were times when the route lanugo was steep and we were clipped onto cables once again. But the hardest part was probably the impact on my old knees as we crept lanugo the steep slope. Luckily we were scrutinizingly when to the Cliffhouse surpassing the skies opened up.

Instead of riding the chairlift when in the rain, we decided to use our unbelieve coupon to have lunch at the Cliffhouse Bistro. I enjoyed a well-earned beer and some succulent lime-chipotle whinge gorditas while Hannah chowed lanugo on some bao buns. It seemed like a much largest nomination than the fare offered in the North American Lodge sideboard lanugo below.

By the time we finished, the rain had cleared for our chair lift ride when lanugo the rest of the mountain. In the end, I was worn-out and my soul was zinged everywhere. I couldn’t wait to get to our next stop in Lake Louise and soak in the jacuzzi tub. I was moreover really, really happy that we did this venture together. Especially when she thanked me emphatically and told me she was proud of me. Well earned I say, well earned.

But now that I’ve shared my side of the story, I’ve asked Hannah to share her take on our Ferrata adventure.

A Teen’s Take on the Via Ferrata

When you think well-nigh it, doing a Via Ferrata is very intimidating. You’re climbing a mountain without a rope, and the only thing separating you from falling hundreds of feet is your harness and a cable. However, when we climbed the Via Ferrata at Mt. Norquay in Banff this summer, I was hyped.

For some background, I love waddle climbing, so this probably wasn’t as scary for me as it would be for the stereotype person. When my mom told me well-nigh it, I jumped at the opportunity for the adventure. The Via Ferrata was one of the things I was looking forward to most on our trip.

I mean, it’s not exactly an wits you can get anywhere, and we were well-nigh to do it in Canada’s trappy Banff National Park. What’s not to love? Anyway, I was super excited to get to do it, and so by the time we got up the chairlift, I was itching to go. And, without a quick safety presentation, we did.

Guide Jesse at top of the Via Ferrata — Hannah with our guide Jesse

We started by hiking up to a plank underpass wideness a small valley. I love these types of features in venture courses, so I was having a little fun with it: taking a peek over the edge, stopping to revere the view (and for a picture!), and plane seeing how much I could get the boards to wiggle underneath my feet surpassing I got nervous.

Many of the other people on the tour (my mom included) weren’t so enthusiastic well-nigh that particular element, but I loved it. As we made our way up the mountain, I found myself slipping into an easy rhythm: clip, unclip, prune when on.

And so we climbed the mountain, bit by bit. There weren’t any increasingly tricky plank bridges, but there was one point where we got to hang off the mountain for a photo opp, which was pretty cool.

After a long vertical climb, we got to the top. Well, almost. We first stopped for a quick snack and then hiked the rest of the way to the peak.

Once we were there, we had the opportunity to squint virtually and take some pictures of the surrounding area, which was veritably beautiful. Without taking in the view, we walked wideness the mountain ridge and started thoughtfully picking our way lanugo the valley to the wiring of the trail where we began the climb. At the end, we rode the chairlift when lanugo and let our wits sink in.

Surprisingly, we both really loved it. I went into it expecting to love it, but I knew my mom wasn’t quite as excited as I was well-nigh the prospect of climbing a mountain. Despite that, we both had a really good time and enjoyed getting to have a unique wits together in such an no-go place.

It was a refreshing transpiration of pace from simply hiking virtually the national park; you get to see the zone (and get some exercise in) while still getting to fathom the natural eyeful of the park virtually you.

plank underpass on the Via Ferrata — Plank underpass from above

Tips for Climbing the Via Ferrata Banff

Bring a good size day pack that can hold an uneaten layer of clothes, snacks, and water. If you don’t have one, you can infringe one for free.
A rain layer is recommended but if you don’t have rain pants, they can lend you one.
Wear well-appointed gown and sturdy hiking boots with good tread.
Bring easy-to-eat snacks like fruit, granola bars, etc. — just remember that you need to siphon out your trash.
Make sure to pack a large water bottle.
Wear or bring sunglasses and wield sunscreen to your squatter and exposed areas as the sun can be strong at that altitude.
Use the washroom surpassing heading up the mountain as it will be a few hours surpassing you have flipside chance.
Don’t plan to climb the Via Ferrata Banff on your first day in town. Instead, requite your soul time to retread to the upland and drink lots of water when you arrive.
If you are wrung of heights, the Via Ferrata will be very challenging. If you really want to try it, start with the shortest course.
You may want to talk to consumer service surpassing choosing a undertow to find out what features each undertow uses such as the plank bridge, subscription bridge, etc. in specimen there are some that you are not well-appointed with.
The climbs go out rain or shine, unless there is lightning in the area. If you don’t want to climb in the rain, you may want to wait to typesetting until you can see the weather forecast.